NHTSA Complaint #10641304 — 2010 NISSAN ALTIMA

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT DATE WAS ON 8/7/14 BUT ALSO REPORTED 8/23/14 & 9/30/14 AT TWO NISSAN DEALERSHIPS. I WAS DRIVING AT 65MPH FOR 1 HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY AND FELT A LOSS OF CONTROL. THE STEERING WHEEL ABRUPTLY TURNED RIGHT, I HAD TO ATTEMPT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE WITHIN THE LANE AND SLOWLY DECELERATED TO A STOP ON THE ROADSIDE WITHOUT IMMEDIATE BRAKING. WHILE BRAKING AT 15-20MPH I APPLIED THE BRAKE WHICH JERKED THE ENTIRE CAR TO THE RIGHT, SUSPENSION WAS STIFF ON PASSENGER FRONT STRUT. THE CAR HAD BARELY 70000 MILES, HAD BEEN UP TO DATE ON SERVICES, WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE STEERING INCIDENT. 8/23/14 THE CAR EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING WITH A "DRAGGING" FEEL AND NEARLY HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAR SEEMED TO "FLOAT" AND COULD NOT FIND A "STRAIGHT" LINE, EITHER IT TURNED SLIGHTLY LEFT OR SUDDEN RIGHT. THIS WAS INCREDIBLY CONCERNING AND I FELT IT WAS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE, TOLD TO INSTALL BRAKE BOOSTER. 9/30/14 UNABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE, UPON START IT WOULD "KNOCK" WHEN PUT INTO GEAR, GRINDING NOISE TO THE PASSENGER FRONT SIDE, TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL RIGHT IF COASTING AT 5MPH. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE ON A TEST DRIVE BUT ADVISED A NEW STEERING RACK, A DIAGNOSIS TO A PROBLEM THAT WAS NOT SEEN IN THE SHOP. ALMOST EVERY TIME THE CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR LONGER THAN AN HOUR OR AT HIGHWAY SPEED I HAVE LOST STEERING CONTROL. I HAVE HAD MY WIFE WITH ME ON TWO EVENTS, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND DANGEROUS, I WILL BE TOWING THE CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP AS I FEEL IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE STEERING, "KNOCK" FROM SUSPENSION AND TRANSMISSION ARE ALL COMPROMISED AND DOCUMENTED. *TR